Poll: Most Rio Grande Valley residents feel less safe

EDINBURG, TX — Only one in four Rio Grande Valley residents feel safer living on the U.S.-Mexico border today than they did five years ago, according to a new opinion poll.

The Pulse of the Valley poll, conducted by UT-Pan American’s Center for Survey Research (CSR), found that almost 60 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that the Valley is safer today than it was five years ago.

When asked how successful border security measures have been in dealing with the issues most important to them, about 14 percent of respondents said very successful, 46 percent said somewhat successful, 16 percent said somewhat unsuccessful, and 20 percent said very unsuccessful, the Pulse of the Valley opinion poll found.

With regard to the border wall, 73 percent of respondents indicated that its construction has had no impact on their feeling of safety, while 11 percent said the wall makes them feel less safe. Thirteen percent said they feel safer.